creating a methodology: the myth of perfection
TRANSCRIPT
CREATING A METHODOLOGY
And the Myth of Perfection
Corey Vilhauer Now What? 2014
I’M COREY VILHAUER@mrvilhauer
“I’m sorry, I must be the worst speaker you’ve ever seen.”
- Me, Probably.
LET’S TALK ABOUT WEB CONTENT
“I’m sorry, we must be the worst team you’ve ever worked with.”
- A Real Client
METHODOLOGIESWHAT A METHODOLOGY IS
METHODOLOGYA formal documentation of a set of processes
ASK A QUESTION
RESEARCH A PROBLEM
FORM A HYPOTHESIS
TEST THE HYPOTHESIS
COMMUNICATE/CHANGE
METHODOLOGIES ALLOW FOR
REPLICATION
EACH COMPANY
IS DIFFERENT
EACH INITIATIVE
IS DIFFERENT
EACH PROJECT
IS DIFFERENT
EACH ONE OF US
IS DIFFERENT
WE ARE ALL
SNOWFLAKES
METHODOLOGIESWHAT A METHODOLOGY ISWHY THEY MATTER
“We don’t really have a process for getting articles approved.”
- A Real Client
“We send things to university relations but we are never really sure when they’re finally published.”
- A Real Client
“LOL” - A Real Client
1. COMMUNICATE OUR PROCESSES
2. STANDARDIZE OUR PATH
3. ALLOW FOR THOUGHTFUL
VARIANCES
YOU CAN’T BREAK THE RULES IF YOU DON’T MAKE THE
RULES
YOU CAN’T BREAK THE RULES IF YOU DON’T MAKE THE
RULES
METHODOLOGIESWHAT A METHODOLOGY ISWHY THEY MATTERHOW TO BEGIN
X XTHESE ARE GUIDES
NOT METHODOLOGIES
A GUIDE, NOT A MAP
WE CAN’T TELL YOU
WHAT TO DO
ALWAYS BE COLLECTING
X X
MAKE A LIST
DETERMINE HOW
DETERMINE WHY
BRING ‘EM TOGETHER
YOU ARE NEVER FINISHED
“Instead of driving an idea blindly into the world … you are guided by the feedback you get. There are no beginnings or endings - just small steps forward.
- Robin Sloan
METHODOLOGIESCOMMUNICATIONREPLICATIONCHANGE
THANK YOU
www.eatingelephant.com/nowwhat2014
@mrvilhauer
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